Ghana to serve as UN base for Ebola supplies

Ghana will serve as a base for supplies to help countries struck by the Ebola outbreak, which has already killed 1,500 people.

The disease began in south-eastern Guinea and spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, with the first case reported in Senegal this week.

A statement from the Ghanaian presidency said President John Dramani Mahama had agreed for his country to be used as a base during a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

"Using [Ghana's capital] Accra as the logistics and coordination centre would...open a vital corridor to get urgently needed supplies and health personnel into the affected countries and areas," the statement said.